PAGE 16, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1975, WHITBY FREE PRESS Region and schools afec»t debts It is not possible for the Town of Whitby to control the taxes charged to its rate- payers, according to Treasurer Forbes McEwen. In a report to council's administrative committee, he said that the reason is that the Town serves as a collective agency for the DurhanBoard of Education and the Region of Durham. Mr. McEwen brought forth the report to correct miscon- ceptions and figures which have cropped up during forums for the mayoralty can- didates in the Decemiber 1 election. Mr. McEwen reported that only $1,836,974 of Whitby's total 1974 debt of $11,685,883 represented mu- nicipal debentures while the large portion of the balance represented school board ($4,011,089) and regional liabilities ($5,0 10,820). Whitby pays about 12 ,percent of regional govern- ment costs and about 13 per- cent of regional education levies. "If any nunicipality grows at a considerable rate and one municipal-ity does not allow any growth, the municipality that stays dor- mant still pays increasing debt of the school board without any corresponding growth to aid in the payrnent. It is acknowledged that the board of education is paying for new schools from a mill rate levy on hei current bud- get which ineans that the no growth municipality is paying its share of capital expendi- tures whether it grows or not", Mr. McEwen reported. The $11,685,883 breaks down into 22.3 the town's total of $52,331,000. to Mr. McEwen municipality was for the selling of and the County percent of assessrent According "when tie responsible school debt of Ontario had no debenture debt, the municipality was in a position to co-ordinate its annual capi- tal budget and keep deben- Recently arrangements were made for a group of Indian children to attend the public school in a northern Ontario town. The principal of the school in the town was aware that Indian children sornetimes had a rough time at the hands of other students, and to try to forestall this kind of situation, he called in a Human Rights Commission counsellor to talk to the other children. The counsellor asked the children if any of them had ever moved to a new school, and what they thought it would feel like if they were the strangers. ln this way he helped them understand how the Indian children would be feeling when they arrived, and the integration proceeded relatively smoothly. Community counselling is one of the major roles of your Ontario Human Rights Commission. We hold seminars and dis- cussions with police in areas where there are communication barriers between them and minority groups, to help relieve ten- sion and promote mutual understanding. tures withuin tie rule of thumb of inot iore than 25 percent of the total assessment. With the fornation of the Durhamu Board of Education and this body assuinuîg the responsi- bility for their debenture sales. and wi th the foriation of the Region of Durham with this mnLiiicipality assuining some of tie debts of the local municipality as well as con- tinuing a charge-back systemî for certain services it is now not possible for the local municipality to control the total amount of debt which is paid by the taxpayers. The responsibility of capital finan- cing is principally that of the region and they also have the authority of selling ail deben- tures. There is no way that any person can take the Town of Whitby financial statement and arrive at the amount of debt the local taxpayer is responsible for because the financial statements of the board of education and the Region of Durham also have to be coiisidered'. Mr. McEwen reported that "when you realize that during 1975 flic region is assuiing reg3ional roads in First a One of the iost success- ful St. John Ambulance flirst aid training programs in Whitby ias been taking place at the Whitby Psychiatric Hos- pital for the past three years. The prograni was started in 1972 by Miss Maxine Roberts, co-ordinator of staff development, when residen- tial counsellors were hired for the new mental retardation unit. Miss Roberts says that since the program for the retarded are of a training and educational nature, rather than medical, and do not have the medical knowledge the staff depth of a register- We attend meetings of immigrants and native-born minority groups to explain to them both their rights under the legislation and their responsibilities as citizens of this Province. We also help bring people into contact with local agencies like home-and-school groups, community and government agen- cies, and churches, which are available to heip but which many people don't even know exist. Wherever there's a difficulty based on race, language, colour or creed, the Human Rights Commission is available to generate discussion and motivate people to develop understanding and respect for the other's point of view. Our job is to help bring people together and encourage healthier relationships among aligroups. If you would like more information or assistance, contact the Human Rights Commission at any of the following addresses: HAMILTON 1 West Avenue South Postal Zone: L8N 2R9 Telephone. 527-2951 KENORA 808 Robertson Street Postal Zone P9N 1X9 Telephone. 468-3128 KITCHENER 824 King Street West Postal Zone: N2G 1G1 Telephone: 744-7308 LONDON 560 Wellington Street Postal Zone N6A 3R4 Telephone 438-614 1 OTTAWA 2197 Riverside Drive Postal Zone K1 H 7X3' Telephone: 731-2415 SAULT STE. MARIE 125 Brock Street Postal Zone: P6A 3B6 Telephone: 949-3331 SUDBURY 1538 LaSalle Boulevard Postal Zone P3A 1Z7 Telephone: 566-3071 THUNDER BAY 435 James St South Postal Zone: P7E 6E3 Telephone 475-1693 TORONTO 400 University Avenue Postal Zone M7A 1T7 Telephone 965-6841 WINDSOR 500 Ouellette Avenue Postal Zone N9A 1B3 Telephone: 256-3611 the City of Oshawa with an1 ouitstanding debt oF< $3,105,000 of which our share will amount to $307,6 13 you realize that iid pro cd nurse would have, there was a need for first aid training. She contacted Ron Haw- kins, cbief training officer for the Whitby St. John Ambu- lance branch to set up a first aid training program and since November 1972, 219 hospital staff have received. St. John Ambulance first aid certifi- cates, and another 50 will complete the course before the end of this year. Mr. Hawkins started the program going by gualifying Miss Roberts' staff as first aid instructors so they could teach the course, and he comes to the hospital ai regular intervals to conduct the examinations for the staff prior to graduation. Since the first aid program started, it has been expanded to the psychiatric support staît, including those who work in the transportation, housekeeping, dietary, grounds and garden, laundry, maintenance and stores de- partments. Miss Roberts describes it as an ongoing program, with Durham Regional Police Constable Bev Graham spoke on school bus safety at a recent meeting of the Sinclair Pjiblic School Home and School Association. that Town of Whitby will be paying on debenture debts amounting to $615,000 more than if the regional govern- ment lhad not been formed". gram the protessional staff begin- ning to join in, and she is already gettirig requests from the registered nurses for an updating Course. "Even the secretarial staff are coming in", sh e said. "The interest is fantastic- ally high for an institution", adds Mr. Hawkins. According to Miss Roberts, the staff's interest in the first aid courses increased consider- ably after the disaster exercise in June, when many realized that they needed a refresher course because they are not dealing with emergency situa- tions on a day-to-day basis. . The course has been useful, she said more in accident cases in the community where staff members have been present, than in the hospital, but it has paid off. Courses are held on four successive afternoons in the staff development building, and there is the possiblity of looking into an accident pre- vention and safety program because those with first aid training are more safely con- scious than those who have not, said Miss Roberts. Navy League cadets seek new recruits The Navy League Cadet Corps Brooklin is seeking boys between the ages of Il and 13 years to join the corps and learn sailing, seamanship, safety afloat, and instruction in Naval traditions. Uniforms are supplied free and there is an opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument in the cadet band. The cadets meet every Monday evening at 300 Dunlop St. W. in the Colborne Street School annex from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Const. Graharn followed his speech with a most con- cerning movie of what can happen wlhen the antics of children get out of hand on the street. Pioneer Stereos People problems can be serlous problems. This is what Ontario Us doing to help solve them in advance. Bus safety is topie at Sinclair School Ontario Human Rights Commission Ministry of Labour Bette Stephenson, M.D., Minister MUSIC 110BROCK ST.N. WHITILY, ONT. 668-4435 "Christmas Specials" Student Guitars and Amplifiers from $3995 Instrument Repoirs Province of Ontario William Davis, Premier Musié Lestons